Open and flexiblelive ingest solution

Ten years after the release of the first version of MovieRecorder, we are bringing another major (r)evolution to ingest solutions with MovieRecorder 4 and MovieRecorder Express 4.

MovieRecorder Express is an entry-level version of MovieRecorder. It uses the same reliable recording engine and beautiful user interface as MovieRecorder 4, with many of the same outstanding features, such as edit-while-ingest, NDI® sources, scheduling, remote control, etc. But it limits some of the available features to make it even more affordable for those whose needs do not require the full package of MovieRecorder 4. See below for the complete list of features.

Main features

Record Multiple Channels on one Mac.

With MovieRecorder Express you can record multiple channels of HD video on a single Mac— the only limit is the capacity of the CPU and the amount of available storage. When new Macs are released, , the capability to record more channels may increase. If you need more than what one Mac can do, you can have multiple computers but control all ingest from a single workstation. And doing a multi-camera ingest is very easy with the gang record feature.

NDI® Sources.

At NAB 2017, we announced the ability to output to NDI® with all our playout software, and it proved to be very successful, with a lot of customers embracing the new technology. It is only natural that we now support recording those sources in MovieRecorder. NDI® is an open, low-latency, video-over-IP protocol developed by NewTek™. It uses a simple gigabit ethernet cable to transmit video and audio over a local area network between multiple video systems. Now, thanks to NDI®, you can transfer HD and 4K video over a simple Ethernet cable. There is no need for additional routers or even SDI cables anymore, further demonstrating the ease-of-use and reliability of our products. NDI® opens the world to a different way of doing video production and to an ecosystem of devices supporting the protocol.

NDI® is a registered trademark of NewTek, Inc.

Fully Configurable user interface.

Thanks to MovieRecorder Express 4's new user interface you can customize the display with multiple viewers’ sizes and positions. Select the number of Viewers you want to display at once, and then choose the layout that best suits your needs. MovieRecorder comes with a whole set of preconfigured layouts, but you can also customize them yourself.

HEVC Support.

With the advent of 4K, an even more efficient codec than H.264 was needed. This is why HEVC/H265 has been created. Files can be compressed to 40% of the size of an H.264 compression without losing quality. But that encoding efficiency required a lot of horsepower, and even the highest end Mac Pro was not able to encode to HEVC in real time. And for MovieRecorder, as we encode live, we need real time!

With macOS 10.13, Apple has added the ability to use the HEVC hardware acceleration available on some computers (those running the 6th Generation Intel Core and over), allowing us to fully take advantage of the coded.

Scheduled Recording.

The ability to schedule recordings is a must for any recording device and will greatly improve your productivity. With MovieRecorder Express, scheduled recording is as easy as programming your DVR, because it is integrated into the program. You can schedule recordings to automatically start at a specified time, by date or day(s) of the week.

Edit while ingesting.

Users very often need their media to be “edit-ready” even while the event that is being recorded continues. This allows editors to start working on growing files during the show, so that they can be done editing sooner, and sometimes even before the show ends. This can for example be used for shows where you want to have a short summary ready at the end of the show. Files created by MovieRecorder Express can grow in Apple’s Final Cut Pro or Adobe's Premiere Pro.

There is no upgrade path from MovieRecorder 3 to MovieRecorder Express 4. If you want to upgrade to MovieRecorder 4, check this page.

Available options

Dongle - Instead of a serial number, receive a dongle that does not require activation. Ideal when you want to move your license around from Mac to Mac. One dongle can be used to hold up to 10 licenses.

Download MovieRecorder Express

MovieRecorder Express 4.1.3
14 December 2018

Installation instructions
Once downloaded, unzip the file, and drag and drop the Application "MovieRecorder Express" in your Applications Folder. Make sure also to download and install the drivers for your AJA, Blackmagic-Design or Deltacast card.

Upgrade/Update instructions
Download the latest version, unzip the file and drag and drop to the "Applications" folder to replace the previous version. It is always recommended to run extensive tests with your specific workflow and setup before putting a new version in production. You can use a free demo version for that on a separate computer. If you need to revert to an older version, previous legacy versions are available from the general downloads page. You do not need to deactivate and reactivate your serial number when updating your Softron software. Read the following article to know when to deactivate.

DEMO Limitations
In DEMO mode, MovieRecorder Express will burn a blue frame in the recorded file every 10 seconds.

Provided with the M|80, M|62 and M|44. Not available for purchase separately.

Hardware acceleration to encode in H.264

With all Mac computers with i5 or i7 processors, running macOS 10.9.5 or later. Note that hardware acceleration is available only for one channel

Hardware acceleration to encode in H.265 / HEVC

With all Mac computers with 6th generation of intel processors (2016 and later), running macOS 10.13 or later. Note that hardware acceleration is available only for one channel

Compatible Storage

Most storage that can sustain the required constant write speed (depending on the number of streams, the codec and format). For network attached storage (NAS), make sure to enable Macro blocks, and disable cache flushing. If you need to run tests, make sure to do long term tests.

Requires Monitor Connected (Open GL Active)

Yes. Even if MovieRecorder should behave fine in most cases, it is recommended to keep a monitor connected at all times for best performances. Or you should make the macOS think that there is a monitor connected. Beware of some KVM switches that can cause interrupts in the signal.

Compatibility chart - AJA drivers

Compatibility chart - Blackmagic-Design drivers

Application Version

First Supported Drivers

Last Supported Drivers

MovieRecorder Express 4.0 and later

10.9.5

latest drivers

IMPORTANT NOTE: Deltacast cards are OEM cards that we use for some of our M|Family products. They are usually not available for end users. We only validate using the deltacast cards that we provide. Other models may work, but not all have been tested.

Supported Audio Codecs

Note: Product specifications are not contractual and subject to change without notice. We always recommend running tests with the free demo version available on our website to make real sure that MovieRecorder will be able to encode to the codec and format you need.